Laser Doctored Gold...
Broadstruck
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I was asked to mentor a good friends son-in-law who he recruited into our crazed hobby. He called me last night on the way home from the show and we spoke about all the different types of doctoring. I intend to go to some smaller local shows with both of them just to point out to him on what to shy away from copper to gold. Stuff we won't see I can mostly find photos of online with the exception of laser treated gold. So I'm wondering if anyone has any photographs?
If there was a written transcript of me explaining all the different types of doctoring it would be much like this below...
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I have not seen a picture of a coin that has been laser repaired...and I did do some searches online. My understanding is, it can be seen under high magnification, but not usually detectable by the naked eye...unless buggered up. If you do find such a picture (hopefully with before/after shots), I would love to see them. Cheers, RickO
I have quite a few. I'll need to dig some out. PM me as a reminder and I bookmarked this.
IMHO, lasered gold is very easy ** to detect. Unfortunately, not many of you examine coins with a stereomicroscope (7X plenty of power) and fluorescent light. The difference between a natural surface and a lasered one is like night & day! Very often, you can detect the reason the surface was altered and what "they" tried to hide.
Here are some things to look for: Changes in surface texture, reflectibility, and level.
** Some technicians are more skilled than others.
So I guess the application of the laser on the gold causes the molecules to heat up and rearrange. How exact is the laser beam, like surgical? Peace Roy
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I only know what I've read. Three years ago, I contacted a jeweler in St. Pete who uses one and I invited Rick Montgomery to go with me to watch him laser a coin I had. The jeweler and I could not get together so we did not go. Now it is on the back burner. Someone on Youtube will probably do a demo if not already done.
Yes, I would like to see some pictures - if possible - of lasered coins.
Well, just Love coins, period.
I have heard about laser doctored gold but never seen it. If you have any, Please post pictures.
I have been told this was lasered. Probably not exactly what you were looking for.
I chewed through a couple of Walkers with a jeweler's saw back in high school jewelry class, with similar results.
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
Oh, the horror!!!!
Were they 1916 and 1921 walkers?
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Ouch that’s a Carson City !
Coin doctors who are still actively at it to make money would have no reason to share their secrets unless it was to impugn the work of a competitor. Coins targeted for lasering would be gold with hairlines, proofs where knocking out a hairline would translate into a jump in grade. I know a dealer who was warned by NGC not to send them any more lasered gold coins. So doubtless they are "on" to certain dealers of suspect submissions.
Can coins made of other metals be layered or is it limited to proof gold.
I believe Morgan dollars also saw some doctoring by laser. Also in the late 1980-90's some chemical (name escapes me) was used on Morgan dollars which altered the surfaces by enhancing proof-like examples to deep mirror proof like. Primarily used during the early days of slabbing via TPG services, but would be detectable later as the coins would turn in time.
Nah. Grandpa had half a roll of '36 Proofs I borrowed, so the whole class got to experiment.
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
See, no one PM'ed me and I forgot to look for my images!
When I was in the laser tattoo removal business, I had attempted to remove spots from coins.
There are many different wavelengths of light and can basically be turned up or down in power. Not just for tattoos, but hair removal too. Both have laser lights that are attracted to the dark pigments of a tattoo or a hairs color. Some wavelengths are reflected my certain colors and others attracted to it. So in a tattoo removal, a laser wavelength is attracted to say, black ink and shatters the pigment molecule into pieces the body can naturally absorb and the host skin which reflects that light away, basically not being affected. We also had many good outcomes with traumatic tattoos from say asphalt, or compressed air insertion of debris, so naturally a coin collector would think it would be nice to be able to remove dirt from a coin without hurting the surface.
I tried it in a few coins with spots but never really found a wavelength and power setting that would do the trick, as the coin would attract some of the light and be effected, but it is my belief that with more research, wavelengths and settings could be developed that could achieve perfect results and not harm coins. When I hear the word lasered, I don’t automatically think bad or doctored. There is a future for the proper use.
The future of Laser technology is very promising and IMHO will benefit coin restorations
The lasered coins I have seen were done to remove scratches. There are cheaper methods to remove spots.
If it can do for coins what it has done for hair removal, I will appreciate it
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
^^^ This
I don't have any unwanted hairs to remove....lucky me